Questions around the inclusion, recognition, marriage, ordination (And, in some extreme cases, even the existence) of LGBT* people continue to challenge and divide the Body of Christ.
The Vineyard, rooted in a messy revival on America’s West Coast, has gradually been attempting to articulate theologically what it thinks about a number of key issues.
One way in which it does this – beyond the Statement of Faith common to and shared among Vineyard Churches Internationally – is to release Position Papers, which tend to represent the settled and prayerful theological reflection of the National Leadership.
VUSA – the Vineyard churches in the USA – recently published a very helpful position paper on ‘Pastoring LGBT People’.
I host it here for reference, and because I’ve been involved in some conversations around this issue, around the world, and care deeply about truth. This is the seventh Position Paper released by Vineyard USA – hence it’s title below, PP7.
Click to Read/Download
Readers of this paper should note the following in terms of my reflection on it to date:
- Review of Ken Wilson’s A Letter to My Congregation (A key catalyst in VUSA issuing PP7)
- Paper presented at a Vineyard Churches UK and Ireland Theological Symposium, Stuck in the Middle with You (Link takes you to academia.edu)
Darren Withers
Not a single U.S Vineyard leader prayed thoughtfully on this issue. They just doubled down on their already held beliefs. Aside from this, they have no control over Vineyard UK. This is an issue for the UK leadership to take control of and simply citing what a leadership with no authority over you has said.